Saturday, August 17, 2013

Kaweco AL sport 'RAW' mechanical pencil

The final writing instrument I got from Kaweco is the ALsport RAW mechanical pencil that matches the fountain pen I reviewed last time. Some people might remember that I'm not a huge fan of the ballpoint pen from the sport series, we'll see if I like this one better...And I actually do like it, but first I have to say this: Yes, they are highly polished, but that makes them easy to scratch as well! Actually, they are already scratched out of the box. But this is kind of how it is supposed to be. Depending on how you use it, they will get heavilly scratched and they will become totally unique! If you don't like this concept, please don't buy this pen, because you will be dissapointed!

The design is really a matter of taste, I personally find the 'sport' fountain pens prettier than the ballpoint pen and pencil, just because I really like the oversize cap on the fountain pen. Whereas this one has a more traditional shape. But still, it's construction is really top-notch, and they prove to be useful when you need a small pencil on the go! The polished aluminum looks very expensive, and I think it can only look better when it gets some scratches on it, but then again, that's a matter of personal taste.

It is a very sturdy pencil, the aluminum makes it quite heavy, but that also makes it feel very solid. As I said with the RAW fountain pen, the polished aluminum feels pleasant, and it is comfortable to hold, though it will get a little slippery when you have wet or sweaty hands.

The only part that is removable is the pushbutton, you pull it out, the lead tube is revealed and you can fill it with spare leads (0.7mm leads). It's simple, it's easy, though the only thing that would have been useful would be an eraser under the pushbutton. But to be honest, who really uses those tiny things!?

I really like the combination of the shiny metal logo and the polished aluminum body of the pencil.

As I said before, this pencil is very sturdy, the only plastic parts are the lead tube and the little black part onderneath the pushbutton, everything else is made out of either Aluminum or brass! And the sturdyness is noticeable when writing: nothing rattles, the lead doesn't wobble, and the click-mechanism works smoothly!

I personally still think the Kaweco Sport pens are the best pocket pens on the market, I enjoy using them on the go, and they look great as well! Just add a pocket clip to this one and it is ideal to put it on your shirt pocket!

This pencil is a bit more on the expensive side at around 50 Euros/ 70 USDollars. But you do get something very fancy. If you are okay with the fact that it will get scratched and scuffed, this pencil might be something for you.